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Hannah Michels had always wanted
to come to New Zealand. As luck would have it, one of the only tertiary institutes
in the world to have a similar sports science programme to the one she was
studying at Appalachian State University in North Carolina was in New Zealand.

This happy coincidence led to
Hannah coming to Ara Institute of Canterbury in Christchurch, where, as an
exchange student, she joined other students studying the Bachelor of Applied
Science in sport and exercise science.

"I've always been an active
person, but I'm also interested in science and human biology, so sports science
is the perfect combination for me," she explains.

Although the subject of her
studies in the US and in New Zealand was the same, Hannah says the style of
teaching at Ara was 'very different' to what she was used to in her home
country.

"We don't call our professors by
their first name and our classes are usually much larger. Here it's much more
relaxed and the teaching style is much more personal. It's refreshing having
teachers that know your first name."

Hannah says her tutors at Ara
were very friendly and always willing to help. "And they were extra helpful
with foreign exchange students."

She also enjoyed the 'very
real-life' assignments at Ara. "All of the work is very practical and similar
to what we'll be doing with our degree in the real world."

Hannah says her studies have
opened her eyes to the kinds of jobs that are available in the field, and
helped her to decide what career path to take. Once she's completed the final
year of her degree in the United States, she hopes to either go on to graduate
studies in exercise science, or study nursing.